An off-duty Seattle firefighter pulled a man out of a burning vehicle Tuesday after a multiple cars and semis crashed on southbound Interstate 5 near Chehalis.
Firefighter Chris Quinlan was driving northbound on the freeway when saw the crash and jumped into action, according to Seattle Fire.
“He could have easily drove by without stopping, but it was his servant heart and professional actions which gave this patient his best chance of survival,” Chehailis Fire Chief Ken Cardinale said in a statement.
Quinlan rescued the man out of a burning pick-up truck before fire units arrived on scene and began first aid. He also stayed to help care for patients after medics arrived.
"Luckily with the training with the Seattle Fire Department, it’s trained me for those types of situations. But seeing an accident occur in front of you verses showing up a few minutes later is totally different. It was definitely a huge moment,” Quinlan said.
The crash blocked southbound lanes for several hours Tuesday morning while crews moved the jersey barrier back in place and cleaned up spilled construction materials.
Quinlan, who works at Fire Station 33 in South Seattle, was honored Tuesday at Seattle Fire Headquarters for his life-saving actions.
